Means of installing and removing flow valves or the like



J1me 1954 K. c. HOWARD ET AL MEANS FOR INSTALLING AND REMOVING FLOWVALVES OR THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 23, 1949 BnventorsGttorneg K.C. HOWARD J1me 1954 K. c. HOWARD ET AL 2,679,904

MEANS FOR INSTALLING AND REMOVING FLOW VALVES OR THE LIKE Filed Nov. 23,1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A I/IIII K. c. HOWARD H.E.M GOWEN,JR. H.H.MOORE,JR. v

Patented June 1, 1954 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE Kenneth 0. Howard, FortHarold E. McGowen,

Jr., Bunkie, La., assi Worth, Tex., and

Jr., and Howard H. Moore, gnors to Sid W. Richardson Inc., Fort Worth,Tex., a corporation of Texas Application November 23, 1949, Serial No.129,002

6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to means for installing and removing valves andthe like in the tubing of oil wells. The invention is particularlyuseful for installing and removing flow valves which are attached, oneabove the other, in sides of the string of tubing. Heretofore, it hasbeen necessary to remove the string of tubing in which such mechanismswere installed in order to make repairs or adjustments in the latter,and such removal of the tubing was costly in that considerable time andlabor were expended during the removal and reinstallation operations.This application is a continuation in part of our pending application,Serial No. 34,954, filed June 24, 1948, now Patent No. 2,664,162.

The primary object of the invention is to provide means for theinstallation and removal of multiple mechanisms, such as flow valves,plugs having orifices therethrough, and the like, in and from the tubingof oil wells without removing said tubing.

Another object of the invention is to provide a means and method ofinstalling and removing flow valves and the like within well tubing byproviding a shifting tool which is also capable of detachable engagementwith said valve or the like for carrying out the installing or removingoperations.

Another object of the invention is to provide electrical and magneticmeans for shifting and operating the tool referred to in the precedingparagraph.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from thefollowing description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a length of oil well casingbeneath the earths surface, and showing assemblies embodying the presentinvention connected with the string of well tubing.

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical section of one of the special tubinglengths employed in the operation of the invention, and showing ashifting tool engaging the upper end of a valve supporting adapter.

Figure 3 is a-vertical sectional view similar to Figure 2 and showingthe shifting tool removed in order to better illustrate the tool holdingsplines.

Figure 4 is an elevation and sectional view of the lower end of theshifting tool, showing the same connected with the upper end of a valvesupporting adapter. The view particularly shows the electromagnet,motor, socket, and a part of the jar mechanism in their relativepositions.

Figure 5 is an elevation and sectional view of 2 the upper end of theshifting tool and illustrating the details of the jar mechanism.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the 'upper end of an adapter forsupporting a flow valve or the like.

Figures 7 and 8 are transverse sectional views taken on lines 7'! and8-B, respectively, of Figure 3.

Figure 9 is a bottom view of the socket comprising the lower end of thetool.

A typical installation of the invention is illustrated in Figure 1wherein there is a casing [6 having a string of tubing ll thereinconnected by collars 52. Special lengths or valve holding sections oftubing l3 of non-magnetic material, such as stainless steel, areprovided with oblong projections or shells M along their sides, andwhich shells are also of non-magnetic material. As shown in Figures 2and 3, the lower ends of the shells M are provided with bottoms I 5having downwardly and inwardly tapered tapped holes [6 for threadedlyengaging adapters ll into which conventional flow valves, chokes or likecontrol units it are threaded therebeneath. Beneath the shell bottomthere is an enlargement or projection Ma integral with the specialsection 53, and having an upper surface l5a. The latter has an annularopening 16a for receiving a cylindrical pointed guide lBa attached tothe lower end of the valve I8. Ring seals I 8b are formed around thesides of the guide 18a. for engagement with the opening 16a. By reasonof the last described arrangement the pressure at each end of the valveassembly is equalized and thus when removing the valve I8, there is nopressure difierential to overcome. The valves is project outwardly anddownwardly through the bottoms it? where their respective inlets lilocommunicate with the interior of the casing it. The flow valves l8 areused for raising oil in the tubing H to the earths surface by gaspressure within the casing in allowing the same to enter the tubing 5 lbeneath the oil. The general practice of using such valves is well-knownto the art, and is not, therefore, described in detail. The guide !8a isprovided with openings IQ for placing the valve A8 in communication withthe interior of the shell 14 and the string of tubing I I.

The shells M are preferably downwardly and outwardly directed so as toprovide an inclined wall 26 within the cavity 2| formed by said shell.Integral with the inclined cavity wall 26 there are a plurality ofsubstantially vertical spaced parallel splines 22 which are adapted toreceive corresponding splines 23 and 24 around the circumference of theshifting tool 25. The upper end of the tool 25 is provided with atubular jar 25 having an inwardly directed flange 21 at its lower end(see Figs. 4 and 5). The upper end of the jar is threaded to a cap 28 inwhich a cable 25 is attached by means of a set screw holding assembly30. The cable 29 carries insulated wires its for operating anelectromagnet 3i transversely disposed through the upper end of theshifting tool 25, and for opcrating a reversible motor 36, hereinafterdescribed.

The tool 25 is slidably connected with the jar 25 by means of a mandrel32 connected with or integral with the upper end of the tool housing 55,and which mandrel is provided with an outwardly directed flange 34 atits upper end for engaging the first referred to flange 21. It will benoted in Figures 2, and 5 that the jar '26 is provided with verticalslots 35 so as not to dampen the action of the jar assembly. Theelectric wires ass extend downwardly through the mandrel l8 and into thetool housing 33 where they are suitably connected with the magnet 31 andwith a reversible motor 35 having its axis vertically disposed withinsaid housing.

A reducing gear 33 is connected with the motor 35. Any type of reducingmechanism may be employed, but for illustrating the preferred form ofthe invention, a multiple planetary gear is illustrated in Figure 4. Thegear shown is comprised'of multiple internal ring gears 38, 39 and fill,threadedly engaged one with the other, and the uppermost ring 3? theuppermost ring 38 being threaded to the bottom of the housing 33.

The length of the gears 38, 35 and 48 are preferably progressivelyincreased in length, with respect to each other, from top to bottom.Each said internal gear supports a rotatable disk M, 12, and 13,respectively, in the bottoms thereof. The first two said disks areprovided with integral downwardy extending spur gears and 45, and thelast said gear 43 is provided with a downwardly extending shaft 56integral with a downwardly directed socket 4?. A spur gear 48 projectsfrom the motor 35 and engages idling gears 59 which mesh with theuppermost internal gear 38. Similarl other idling gears and 5 irespectively, coact betweenthe intermedi-- ate internal gear 39 and theintermediate spur gear i l, and between the lowermost internal gear 46and the lowermost spur gear 15. All of the idling gears 45, 5B and 5!are mounted on per pendicular stub shafts 52 integral with therespective disks l i, 82, and d3. Anti-friction bear ings 53 are mountedaround the upper ends of the spur gears it, 54, and 45, and around thelowermost shaft 36 and between the .adjacent lower ends of the housing33 and the lower ends of the internal gears 38, 39 and 49.

The socket 4i, integral with the lowermost shaft 66, is for enga ing theupper end of the adapter ii. The sides of the socket 4'? are slotted, asat 54, and receive a bell shaped leaf spring 55. It will be noted inFigure 9 that the slots5=i are arranged to engage multiple opposingarouate splines 55 on the sides of the upper end of the adapter ii. Thespring 55 is shaped to detachably engage opposing arcuate splines 55 forlifting and lowering the adapter H and the attached flow Valve H3. Thespring 55 is held in place by a screw 5'5 extending through the springscenter and into the lowermost drive shaft 45. A layer of soft iron 58 orother material capable of being attracted by magnets issecured outwardlyof the shell [4.

The operation of the invention is carried out by lowering the tool 25downwardly through the tubing H and into the special section is wherethe valve I8 is to be installed. By energizing the magnet 3i, the tool25 is moved toward the soft iron 58. The tool is then lowered, andjarred, if necessary, to cause the splines 23 and 24 on said tool toengage the splines 22 within the shell 14. The adapter 11 carrying thevalve [8 is then threaded in the tapped hole l5 after the flow valve 18carried thereby has passed therethrough and is positioned with the guide18a and seals Hit) in the opening its. By raising the cable 29 thespring 55 releases the adapter splines 56, and the tool is then removedfrom the well, after which the valve is ready for operation. The valveit may be removed by a similar operation. The tool 25 is lowered andshifted, and by further lowering the tool, is engaged on the adaptersplines 56. After the socket 41 and spring 55 engage .the adapter 11,the motor is operated in a direction opposite that previously described,and whereby the adapter and attached valve are disengaged. By raisingthe cable 25, the adapter I! and valve l8 may be raised to the earthssurface. It is to be understood that the described operation, either forremoving or installing the valve 18, may be applied to other such valvesin their respective holding sections i3.

To those versed in the art, it will be apparent that other devices andmechanisms other than the valve i8, may be installed in wells within thescope and spirit of the present invention. The described form of theinvention may be made in many ways within the scope of the appendedclaims.

What is claimed is:

i. In combination with a well tubing having a vertical main bore, saidtubing including one or more flow control unit receiving sections, eachsection having a portion laterally offset from the vertical and providedwith a seat for a flow control unit; means including a shifting tooladapted to be lowered from the top of the tubing to the level of aselected section, for selectively seating or removing a flow controlunit in or from its seat within a selected receiving section, saidshifting tool being provided with means for moving said tool laterallywithin the offset portion of the selected section, and means carried bythe shifting to 1, including a reversible electric motor, for engagingand rotating a ilow control unit in seating or removing the same.

2. A flow control unit handling device adapt" ed for use in placing aflow control unit in a laterally offset threaded seat in a well tubingand for removing said control unit therefrom, said handling deviceincluding a shifting tool comprising a main body portion of elongateform adapted to be lowered through the well tubin toa selected expandedportion of the tubing in which a threaded seat for a flow control unitis located, said body portion having means for moving the tool laterallywithin the expanded portion of the tubing, means carried by the bodyportion for releasably gripping a flow control and means including areversible electric motor carried by said body portion, connected tosaid gripping means, for rotating the flow central unit in eitherdirection to effect seating the flow control unit or removal of the samefrom its .seat.

3. In combination with a well tubing having a section provided with alaterally ofiset seat forafiow control unit having a mass of magneticmaterial in the wall thereof on the same side of the tubing axis as theseat, means including a shifting tool, adapted to be lowered into saidwell, for installation or removal of a flow control unit, said toolcarrying an electromagnet adapted to coact with said mass of mag neticmaterial for laterally deflecting the tool toward said seat when thetool is lowered approximately to the level of said seat to permitinstalling or removing a flow control unit. 1

4. A flow control unit handling device adapted for use in placing a flowcontrol unit in a laterally offset seat in a well tubing and forremoving said control unit therefrom, said handling device including ashifting tool having an 1 elongated body portion adapted to be loweredthrough the well tubing to a selected expanded portion of the tubing inwhich is located a laterally offset control unit seat, magnetic meanscarried by said body portion adapted to coast with a portion of the welltubing for deflecting the tool laterally toward the seat, and meanscarried by the body portion for gripping the flow control unit inseating or releasing the same.

5. In combination with a well tubing having a vertical main boreextending from top to bottom of the well, said tubing including one ormore flow control unit receiving sections, each section having a portionlaterally offset from the vertical and provided with a seat for a flowcon- 3 trol unit and each section carrying in its wall on the same sideof the axial center of the tubing as the seat a mass of material whichis adapted to be attracted by a magnet, means, including a shifting tooladapted to be lowered from the top of the tubing to the level of aselected section for selectively seating or removing a flow control unitin or from its seat within a selected receiving section, said shiftingtool being provided with an electromagnet coacting with the mass ofmaterial carried by the section, for moving the tool laterally withinthe offset portion of the selected section.

6. A. flow control unit handling device adapted for use in placing aflow control unit in a laterally offset threaded seat in a well tubingand for removing the control unit therefrom, said handling deviceincluding a shifting tool having lowered through the well tubing to aselected expanded portion of the tubing in which is located a laterallyoffset control unit seat, magnetic means carried by said body portionadapted to coact with a, portion of the tubing wall for deflecting thetool laterally toward the seat, means carried by the body portion forreleasably gripping a flow control unit, and means inc1uding areversible electric motor carried by the body member and connected withsaid gripping means for rotating the flow control unit in eitherdirection to effect seating the flow control unit or removal from itsseat.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 2,147,544 Potts Feb. 14, 1939 2,230,107 Garrett Jan. 28, 19412,330,669 Mowrey July 31, 1945 2,401,119 Taylor May 28, 1946 an elongatebody portion adapted to be

